Automatic life protector for automobiles



June 19, 1923.

M. REsK,

AUTOMATIC LIFE PROTECTORy Foa. AUTOMOBILES' n Filed Nov. 19. 1921 2 sheets-sheet;

Jne 19, 1923'.` 1,459,314

l M. RESK l AUTOMATIC LIFE PROTECTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 19V. `19.21 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented .lune 19, 1923.

vUNETED STATES T o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Miei-HELL Brisk, citizen of France, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in AutomaticLife Protectors for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety devices for automobiles, having more particular reference to a combined fender, braking device and bumper, the present Vinvention being an improvement on one shown in a previous application for patent filed by me on Aug. 1, 1921, under Serial No. 489,110.

The invention has for an objectto provide a novel and improved combination fender brake, andvbumper, in which the braking device adapted to be operated automatically or manually, to bring the automobile to a rapid stop when an object is struck, while the fender is projected to operative position to pick up the victim.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, references will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly sety forth.

. Fig. 1 of the drawings is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing my improved combination safety attachment in position on an automobile, this view being. taken on the line 1`v1 of Fig. 3, the various partsy being shown in normal inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view tothe Fig. 1, but showing the parts in operative position.

Fig. 3 1s a planview of the fender element of my improved attachment.

Fig. isis a front view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary front elevation of the swingable frame on which the fender proper is suspended.

Fig. 6 is afragmentary longitudinal vertical section, showing particularly the means for 'extending the fender apron. u

In the drawings the reference numeral 10 designates f the main longitudinal frame members vof'an automobile chassis, 11 indicatingthe front wheels, and 12 the front axles.

Fixed to the front ends of the members 10 are forked'brackets 15 in the bifurcations of which a square crossbar 16 is fixed. Onthe latter areslidably held sleeves 15.

Application led November 19, 1921.

rari-:Nr oFFIca;

. la" i MICHELL RESK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC LIFE PROTECTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES. y

Serial No. 516,383.

These brackets may be fixed to the frame member 10 by means of U-bolts 17 straddling said frame members and projecting at their ends through aperturedr ears 18 on the brackets, nuts 19 being screwed on the ends of the U-bolts.\ j The sleeves lserve tosupport a. horizontal toggle-link structure 20. on the front of which is mounted a..resilient bumper bar 21. This bumper bar may be reinforced at the centre by supplementary strips 22 clamped thereto by clamps24 and may `have its ends turned inwardly as at 25 to connect to the crossbar 16. Upon the centre of the bumper bar 21 a channeled member 26 is mounted and has the toggle-link tegral lugs such as 30 to which are pivotally connected the upper ends of apairof arms 31 rigidly connectedl together by a. crossbar 32. These arms 31 have hinged thereto as at 33 a metallic fender element 34 which may comprise a skeleton frame of ornamental design as shown in Fig. 4. Thisfender element 34 forms the back portion of the complete fender and has a bottom horizontal bar 85 of angular shape in cross section and formed with a 'series of fillets 36 whereby a roller shaft 37-is rotatably supported on said bar, this shaft 37 havingengaged therewith' a coiled spring (not shown) whlch urges it in one 'direction after the well 'knownmanner of a curtain roller.

This roller shaft 37 has fixed thereto a number of closely spaced strips 39 of soft sheet material which collectively form a fender apron, the opposite ends'of these strips being secured to a channeled foot-bar 40. This channeled `footfbar 40 is fixed on the corresponding ends of la pairof thrust arms' 41 which are pivotedy 'at'their rear ends on the rear ends of a-pair of oscillatory arms 42, the latter being fixed at their forward ends on a transverse shaft journaled in brackets 44 mounted on the free ends of the arms 31 before mentioned, as best shown in Fig. 5.

Vhen this shaft 43 is rotated the arms 41, 42 are caused to move from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, means being provided for causing such movement to take place whenthe fender back is struck by an object. As here shown this means comprises a gear 48 fixed to the shaft 43 and engaging rack teeth 49 formed on a member 50 depending rigidly from thecrossbar 1.6, these rack teeth 49y being arranged concentric to the suspension axis of the arms 31. It will be noted thatithe fender back 34 is 'connected to the arms 31 relatively near the suepension point thereof so that the gear 48 receives ain accelerated movement when the fender back is struck, resulting in a rapid swinging of the fender apron to operative position. To prevent any chance of the apron strips 39'unwinding because of vibration as the automobile travels, a pair of .even surfaces.

y coiled around their pivot pins 5,9 and bear'- ing against the arms. These arms are of such length as to have the roughened bottom surface of the shoes 56 rest on the ground when the arms are at a slight forward .incli nation as in Fig. 2, so thatupon further forward movement due to the momentum of the vautomobile the arms will assume a substantiallyl vertical position with the front end of the automobile raised and supported by the shoes56 which latter have upturned forward ends 56. The shoes 5,6 are preferably connected to the arms. 55 by universal joints suCll as 56a to allow the shoe to ride over un- Rearward swinging movement ofthe arms 55 is arrested` by means of a pairof jointed links connected thereto at axle i12..

`one end and to the frame members 10 at their opposite ends. These links each comprise a short arm 6.0, and a longarin comprising an elongated. cage `61 and a headed rod 62 telescopically engaged in said cage and urged thereinto bv means a coiled expansion spring 63., The short arm 60 is pivoted to the cage as at 64, while the rod 62 is pivotally attachedy toI the brake arm 55. rlhe parts are preferably so arranged 4that rod 62 will reach the limit of its outward movement when the shoes 56` are directly under the To hold the shoes in raised position a cable These armsa hooked latch 72 pivoted on the bracketo.`

This latch 72 is held in operative position by a detent arm 7 3 pivoted as at 74 to the bracket 50 and having a tail-piece 75 which projects in front of the shaft 43, a spring 76 holding the detent engaged with a pin 77 on the latch. To prevent the rope 68 falling and dragging when the latch is freed a slack portion 68 extends from the ring 71 to` the crossbar 32. Fixed eachat one endtothe bar 40 are a number of spring fingers 8O which project 'rearwardly underY the bar.

The mannerof operation of my improved safety attachment is as follows: When the fender back 34 strikes an object, the arms 3.1 are swungback and the gear 48y caused `-to roll onthe rack 49. The rolling movement of gear 48 gives a rotary movement to shaft 43 which swings the arms 42 downward and forward, these arms rpushing the thrust arms 41 downward and forward, and since the arms 41 are connected to the strips 3 9, the

latter are unrolled and the fender apron projected to the position shown` in Fig. 2, the bar 40 being supported slightly above the ground by the spring fingers 80. A s the larms 3 1 move backward the tail-piece 75 of detent 73 is engaged and the detent moved to disengage from the pin 77 and so free latch 72, from which the ring 71 on the rope 68 thendisengages, The shoes 56 fall to the ground, and the momentum of the automobile causes the front end thereofto lightly rise, transferring its weight tothe shoes. During this rising movement the springs 63 are expanded and-when the automobile stops Kthese springs move the. automobile backward automatically to extend said apron portion.

upon backward swinging movement of said back portion, said means including a rack, a gear adapted to be caused to roll on said rack upon rearward movement 0f said back portion, a shaft on which said gear is fixed, arms fixed to said shaft, and thrust arms connecting said. first arms and the extensible apron.

2. In an automobile, in combination, a

fender having a hinged back portion and an extensible apron portion, and means acting automatically to extend said apron portion upon backward swinging movement of said back portion, said means includinL a rack, a gear adapted to be caused to rol on said rack upon rearward movement of said back portion, a shaft on which said gear is fixed, arms fixed to said shaft, and thrust arms connecting said first arms and the extensible apron, said extensible apron comprising a roller shaft carried by the .said back portion, and a series of flexible strips each attached at one end to said roller shaft. y

3. In an automobile, in combination, Jrender having a hinged back portion and an extensible apron portion, means acting automatically to extend said apron portion upon backward swinging movement of said back portion,a brake shoe adapted to contact With the ground, a cable holding said brake shoe raised, a latch with Which said y cable is releasably engaged, a detent holding said latch in operative position, said detent having a tailpieoe adapted to be operated to release the detent when said baelr portion of the fender is moved rearwardly.

4i. In an automobile, in combination, a-

yfender comprising a back portion and an extensible apron, a hinged element on which said back `portion is hingedly lmounted in turn, and means carried by said hinged element and adapted to cause said extensible portion to extend, said part comprising a y gear engaging a fixed rack.

In testimony Whereoil I have affixed my signature.

MICHELL RESK. 

